Silver Linings Restaurant
by David N. Brown
Summary: Patricio starts his restaurant, but can Tiffany be a waitress?
1. Start Up

**After "The Other Ending", I decided to try doing something light, and also try spreading the writing out. I don't have any real plan for where to go with this, and I do plan to write a novel this month, so a slow pace won't be a problem.**

"I'm so glad you could all make it here," Patricio said as he took his place at the dinner table. "I've got two announcements to make. First, for anyone who hasn't heard, Junior and Tiffany are engaged. Second, all the permits are in order to start the Silver Linings Restaurant."

At the middle right side of the table, Tiffany and Pat clasped their hands. Across from them, Ronnie smiled, while Veronica spoke up: "There's something I should tell you about the name. I heard back from my friend Amy. She did a basic market testing, and there's a problem with the name. It tests well with females, especially ages 20 to 30, but they are not the target market for the kind of food you want to offer. The primary consumers of philly cheesesteak sandwiches are males ages thirty and up. They did not respond well to the name, in fact three different respondents said it sounded like a `girly' restaurant."

"Great, so they'll take their girlfriends!" Pat said with an expansive wave. "Veronica is, of course, in charge of accounting, and she's helping with marketing. Jake is going to stay as co-founder and vee-pee. Dolores will be our head chef, Pat's going to be her assistant, which is mostly going to be moving stuff around, Donny and that kid Andy will be our busboys. And I've been thinking, we need someone pretty to be our waitress."

It took Tiffany a moment to realize everyone was looking at her. She looked at Pat, and he tried to step up for her. "I don't think that's a good idea," he said. "She has poor social skills."

"I have poor social skills?!" she instinctively protested by rote. "You- I think what he means is, sometimes I speak my mind more than I should. Sometimes I have trouble being patient, and I don't handle myself well when I'm angry." Pat tried to pantomime an explosion without her noticing. "So, I shouldn't be taking orders from people who couldn't make up their minds if the choices were filet mignon and fried roadkill."

"She also drops the f-bomb a lot," Pat said.

"So she's got a little extra sass," said Patricio. "People will respect that. It will just give our restaurant a little extra character. Not to mention, she's beautiful. Every restaurant needs a pretty girl up front."

"I have to agree with them," Veronica said. "If you're going to give Tiffany a job, she would be better off helping Dolores in the kitchen. She has been very good at helping Dolores, she knows the recipes, and you are going to need as many people in the kitchen as you can get."

"We already have want ads out for an extra hand," Patricio said. "When we start making money, we can hire more help if we need it. Tiffany's the one we want up front. In fact, knowing the recipes means she can take orders better. "

"Mr. Solitano," Von said, "we have already discussed that it's going to take some time to turn a profit. Assuming average business for a new restaurant, it will take three months just to earn back what you have already invested."

"And I told you, why think average?" said Patricio.

"Patricio," Tiffany said, "I really don't need the money. I'm still collecting Tommy's pension, and I can keep collecting it even after Pat and I get married. What you're asking... I don't know if I'm ready."

Patricio smiled. "And that's the best reason to do it! We still need time to set things up, so you can use that time to practice. It will be fine."

Tiffany looked to Pat, who gave a somewhat grudging nod. "He's making sense," he said. "We all need to practice. You could be our waitress just for that, and if it doesn't work out, we can use the time to find someone else when we do open."

"Okay," Tiffany said. "But don't say we didn't warn you."

The restaurant was set up with a vaguely retro look. The floor was black and white linoleum, a 1920s gas pump was in the corner, and they had a few '50s-themed posters were on the wall. A woman in her late forties walked in and sat down at one of the stools at the counter.

Tiffany walked up to her. "Hello, my name is Tiffany, and I will be your server today," she said. The woman gave a hint of a nod. "Here is your menu. Our specials are on the board. Can I start you with anything to drink?"

"I'll take a glass of water, please," the woman said. Tiffany gracefully turned and picked up a glass and pitcher. As she poured, she looked up into the eyes of Dr. Lilly, her therapist. Then she looked to the front window: Veronica was approaching the door. Dr. Lilly gave another nod of approval, and then flicked her eyes downward. Tiffany started to tilt back the pitcher, just as the water overflowed onto her hand. In her surprise, she dropped the glass, and then the pitcher.

"You're okay, it's all right," Pat said. He hugged Tiffany while Donny cleaned up the spill. "Just try to hold back on the swears, okay?"


	2. Trying Out

Dr. Cliff Patel walked up to the counter and picked up a menu without sitting down. "One grilled cheese sandwich," he said as Tiffany came up. "Could you please make it quickly?"

"We'll do it as soon as we can," Tiffany said. "Would you like it in a carry-out bag?"

"Yes, thank you," said Dr. Patel.

Jake's fiancee Caitlyn walked in, and Tiffany took her order. She asked about the sandwiches, and Tiffany gave a detailed account of the ingredients and preparation process. Caitlyn asked if the pickles were kosher, and Tiffany said, "I don't know, how does a pickle get _un_kosher?" Pat called to her, and held up a jar. "Yeah, they're kosher. Anyway, the jar says they are." She kept her eyes on the front of the restraunt. Veronica had just walked in.

Her sister sat down. "Waitress, could I have a menu?" she said.

"The menus are on the counter," Tiffany said. When Von made no move to get one, Tiffany brought one to her. Then Pat called out that the sandwich was done, and Tiffany gave Dr. Patel the bagged sandwich.

"Thank you," he said. "You did it very quickly, I believe I can stay to eat."

"Yeah, that's great," Tiffany said.

"Waitress," Von called, "what can you tell me about the cheesesteak sandwiches?" Tiffany started into the same spiel, and came to the table when Von insisted she couldn't hear.

That was when Cliff said, "Waitress, there's a roach behind the counter. There_ is_ a roach behind the counter."

Tiffany strode back. It was true. She swore loudly and foully, and then stamped. With the reflexes she had honed in dancing and in self-defense classes before that, she caught the bug with the first try, and with such force that the head flew from the body, with antennae still twitching. "You know what?" she said. "If you don't like what I'm doing, give the job to the roach!"

It was evening, and Dr. Patel and Caitlyn were back, along with Jake and the doctor's wife Sonja. Dr. Lilly came to the counter and ordered tea. Tiffany was giving instructions to Pat when Veronica and Ronnie walked in, the latter pushing Em in a stroller. "Waitress, could we have menus please?" Von called out. Tiffany threw two menus across the room. Then she turned to Dr. Lilly, who spoke quietly to her. "Waitress, we need a high chair..."

"Andy, get her the chair," Tiffany said. The neighbor kid who had been pestering Pat with his camera a few months earlier emerged with a high chair. Andy and Ronnie get Em strapped in, while Von looked at the menu.

"Waitress," Von said, "what can you tell us about the cheesesteak sandwiches?"

Tiffany came over, and gave the spiel again. "Pip," Em said, pulling on her aunt's sleeve. Tiffany went to Jake and Caitlyn's table, and took a detailed order.

"Waitress!" Von called. "We're ready to order."

"In a minute," Tiffany said. She finished taking down Caitlyn's order, and when Donny failed to materialize she went back behind the counter to give it to Pat.

"Waitress, we're ready to order _now_," Von repeated. Tiffany went around the counter and back to the table.

"Pipp," Em said, tugging Tiffany's arm again. "Pipp-pipp!" She raised her arms, clearly expecting a hug. Tiffany kept taking the order, while Em began to fuss. She got the order written down and back to the kitchen, and stayed behind the counter. Em started to cry, clearly upset that her aunt was not giving her the affectionate attention she was used to. Jake got soup and Caitlyn got her sandwich, and then Pat brought out two more sandwiches for Von and Ronnie and macaroni and cheese for Em. Dr. Patel finished his sandwich, and hung around.

Tiffany carried Von's order over on a tray. Em started squirming, and Tiffany tried to placate her with an affectionate "beep" on the nose. But the baby only got fussy again, tugging Tiffany's arm precisely when she was trying to balance the tray with one hand.

Tiffany stared out the window for a moment. Then she hurled the entire tray to the floor. "You know what? You can take this job and-" She met Em's wide eyes; the kid was finally quiet. Then she stormed right out of the restaurant.

"Um," said Pat, "I suppose that _could _have been worse."

Von put her head in her hands. "I just wanted a nice dinner..."


	3. Trial and Error

Pat sat at the dining table with his father, facing Veronica and Ronnie. "Listen," he said, "you know we all love you both, and it's nothing personal, but... you two can't come to our restaurant. Sorry."

"But... why?" Von said. "Can't I support my little sister?"

Pat sighed and looked to his father. "No mincing words," Patricio said. "You aren't. Every test we've put Tiffany through, she does okay until you come in."

"So what, Ronnie and I can't come to your restaurant?" Von protested.

"I don't know," Pat said. "There's no reason Ronnie can't come..."

"Not helping," Ronnie said.

Patricio held up his hands. "Okay, okay, maybe I spoke a bit too fast. I'm not saying you have to stay away forever. But as long as Tiffany's our waitress-in-training, you shouldn't come. Let us keep helping her, without adding any extra stress, and we'll see what happens."

"What can you tell me about your cheesesteak sandwiches?" Dr. Lilly asked.

Tiffany answered by rote, until Dr. Lilly stopped her. "What, did I do something wrong?"

"You said you broil the bread and toast the steak."

"Oh. F-or cryin' out loud. I memorize all this, and then I have trouble keeping it in order."

"That is the most difficult part of memorization. Try again." Tiffany did it again, and again, and again, until she caught herself screwing up at the first sentence. She swore and turned away, and Pat came in from the kitchen. He gave her a hug, and she hugged him tightly back. With his arms still around her, she turned and recited the whole thing. Everyone present clapped, and she burst into happy tears.

"I would like," Dr. Patel said, "to order a sundae." Tiffany went over to a glass freezer and opened it.

"We've got the basic flavors, and Rocky Road, that's my favorite," Tiffany said. "Then there's mint chocolate chip, cookies and cream, butter pecan, and pineapple sherbet. For toppings, we have fudge, caramel, strawberry, sprinkles..."

"I will try Rocky Road," Dr. Patel said, "with caramel on top." Tiffany served him, and gave a little small talk. When he got to talking about his daughter, he said, "I noticed your ring. Are you married?"

"Engaged," she said. "My fiancee's name is Pat. Actually, he works here too."

"Really, did you meet at work?"

"No, actually, my sister introduced us..." Tiffany paused as she reached for the caramel, and then continued, "My fiancee's wonderful. So's my sister. We drive each other nuts, but it's because we love each other..."

Tiffany smiled as she took an order from Jake and Caitlyn. "Yes," she said in answer to Caitlyn's question, "our pickles are certified kosher."

Caitlyn returned the smile. "You know, most people don't know what a kosher pickle is, and it doesn't mean what you might think," Caitlyn said. "It doesn't just mean that Jewish people _can_ eat it, it means it's made in the style of a Jewish deli. Part of it is that they make sure there isn't any pig fat in the brine, but they also use a particular kind of salt, and they add garlic. Then the main thing is that the pickle itself is sour and crisp. If it's sweet or soft, then it's not really a kosher pickle, even if it isn't really `un-kosher' either."

"That's interesting," Tiffany said. "Thanks for telling me that. It makes a lot more sense. Personally, I hate those sweet pickles, especially when they're mushy." She finished taking the order and started back to the counter. For just a moment, she froze in her tracks as Von came in.

"Excuse me," she said, "my car has a flat tire. Could someone call a tow truck?"

"I'll make a phone call," Pat called from the kitchen. "Donnie, why don't you give her a hand?" Tiffany stepped aside as Donnie walked out, and then calmly went to the kitchen.

Pat met her with a hug.


	4. Opening Day

It was opening day for the Silver Linings Restaurant. The very first customers through the door were two professional-looking women in their late twenties. They stepped inside just far enough to take a good look at the menu. After a moment, one of them said, in a tone somewhere between surprise and disgust, "You sell cheesesteak?"

"Cheesesteak sandwiches, authentic Philly style," Tiffany said. "They're good, too. We also serve ice cream."

The women muttered to each other for a minute. "I'll take one sandwich," said one woman.

After another moment, her companion said, "I'll try one, too."

By noon, they had a score of customers, and more on the way. Tiffany waited the tables, and Pat came forward to man the counter. "Mom," he said after calling back another order, "are you doing okay back there?"

"I'm fine," she answered. "Your father's helping, too. Stay out there." Pat glanced out at the restaurant floor, and caught Tiffany gazing at him. He smiled and waved, and pointed to a couple that were obviously ready to order. She smiled back and went to the table.

Pat looked down at a little girl who had just walked up. "Can I have ice cream, please?" she asked. She looked to be about eight, and she was very black.

"Are you here with Mom or Dad?" he asked.

She pointed to a black woman at one of the tables. "I'm here with Mom. I don't see Daddy anymore."

She placed money on the counter, and Pat went to serve her.

"Here's two scoops of sherbet," he said, and made a show of looking both ways. "And here's one on the house." He added one more to the already generous serving. "My Dad owns this restaurant, you know."

"My Dad's in jail," the girl said as she took the bowl. "He tried to hurt Mommy."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Pat said.

"Hey," Donnie said over his shoulder, "did you just let this girl sweet talk you into a free scoop? That's my second cousin Tanya."

"Hey, cous," the little girl said with a grin. "I didn't talk him into nothin'."

"Darn right, you wouldn't have to," Donnie said. "Now go to your momma." Tanya ran back to her mother, and they shared the bowl together.

"I got suckered," Pat said.

"With your girl watching," Donnie said.

Tiffany winked at the mother and daughter, and then blew a kiss to Pat. She went to bring water to a table where Andy had just seated the two latest customers, and froze. Pat's eyes locked on her, and then turned to the pair at the table. There was a woman he had never seen, but Tiffany was looking at the guy seated across the table. After a moment's glance at the slightly pudgy, borderline-balding man, Pat was sure he had seen him somewhere before, too. He was sure he almost had it, just as Tiffany said, "Geordie?"


	5. Geordie

Pat started to move out from behind the counter, but Donnie stopped him. Tiffany stood alone, eye to eye with a customer who had (at least in his own mind) once been her boyfriend. "Tiffany," said Geordie, with a smile a bit too wide, "I didn't know you were working here. Uh, actually, coming here was her idea." He looked across the table at a dark-haired woman who looked Latina.

"That guy's no `Geordie'," Donnie muttered to Pat. "No way that white boy earned the same name as the bro who made chief engineer of the starship _Enterprise."_

"Do you two know each other?" Geordie's companion asked.

"We used to work together," Geordie said quickly. "Tiffany, this is Serena."

"Tiffany... wait, is she the one who got fired for...?"

"Let's go ahead and take a look at the menus," Geordie said. "So, cheesesteak sandwiches?"

"Yeah," Tiffany says, "authentic Philly cheesesteaks, just like it says in the window. Do you want to hear about Philly cheesesteak?"

"This was a mistake," Serena said. "We should go."

"Serena, let's just order... How about we split a sandwich..."

"I don't like hot sandwiches, and I can't eat cheese."

"Honey... Look, we already got water..."

Serena abruptly screamed something in Spanish and swept her glass to the floor. Then she screamed some more, in a mix of unprintable English and presumably at least equally profane Spanish, and continued to scream as she stormed out.

"Well," Tiffany said after a moment of silence. "Are you going after her?" After a moment, Geordie shook his head. "Then are you going to order?"

"Uh... Give me a sandwich. Add whatever the glass costs to the bill. And, uh..." He was starting to take a good look at Tiffany, when his eyes locked on her opal engagement ring. "Make it to go."

There was a smattering of applause as Tiffany returned to the counter.

At 8 in the evening, Patricio put up the "CLOSED" sign and Andy and Donnie served the remaining customers. Tiffany and Pat went back to the office, where Veronica was waiting. Tiffany smiled, and hugged her sister.

"I've been looking over today's receipts," Von said, "and the restaurant has already served over one hundred customers for a gross of more than fifteen hundred dollars. You can expect a smaller turnout tomorrow, and revenues for the next week combined probably will not be any better than the first weekend. But in two weeks' time, you can expect a substantial `word of mouth' factor, and steady improvement after that. All in all, we're off to a very good start."

Suddenly, Donnie burst in the door, holding up a smartphone. "Guys, look at this! Aunt Jasmine just forwarded it. It's posted in advance of tomorrow's paper!" The screen showed the website of the major city paper. The byline was their main food critic, known for withholding his photo to visit restaurants discretely. The headline read, "Silver Linings Restaurant Serves Best Philly Sandwiches in Bay Area!"

They rushed into the kitchen in time to be met with open arms by Patricio. "It's a miracle!" he shouted happily, embracing everyone in turn. But Von met him with a frown and a sheaf of papers under her crossed arms.

"Mr. Solitano," she said, "this is a disaster."


	6. Crisi-tunity

**Here's a longer chapter. I'm also going to mention that I received inspiration from a couple local establishments. One is a now-infamous restaurant featured on a Chef Ramsey show. I have never been there, and it's way out of my part of town, but I heard about the place from a friend, and I immediately started thinking of comic possibilities, especially for a restaurant where the food was actually good. The other is a long-gone restaurant called the Flying Crane, where the food was very good, and the owner really did complain about getting good reviews.**

It was 7 in the morning, two hours from the opening of the Silver Linings Restaurant, and there were already people at the door. Pat, Donnie and Von were waiting in the back for the delivery truck. "Patricio ordered three times as much as I recommended," Von said. "It might last us through lunch."

Dr. Lilly was in the kitchen with Tiffany. "Remember, this is a challenge," the therapist said. "And remember, the reason you're facing this challenge now is because you already did well. Look at the review: `excellent service from a young woman named Tiffany...'"

"Oh my god, they know my name," Tiffany said. "People are going to _ask_ for me. Oh my god, I can't do this."

"Tiffany! Remember what we always talk about with Chinese? To them, `crisis' and `opportunity' mean the same thing. Well, this is both of those things: A crisis, because you weren't prepared for this kind of success, and an opportunity, because you have the success you were hoping for so soon."

"Actually, that's a misunderstanding," Pat grunted as he passed with a crate of beef. "There's a combination of two words that can mean `danger' and `opportunity' separately. When they're together, the best translation is `critical point'."

"Okay, thanks for that, Pat," Tiffany said sardonically.

"Hey, Tiffany, look at me. That still works. This is the critical point, for you and the restaurant. If you can make it through today, then you can keep going..."

"And if I don't, everything's gone, Patricio's broke, Pat's going to leave me..."

Pat leaned in and kissed her on the lips. "I'm never leaving you, Tiff," he said. "If we end up on the streets, we're sharing the same cardboard box."

They opened half an hour early, and twenty people crowded in. Pat was behind the counter, and Tiffany was waiting along with Donnie's aunt Jasmine. "We won't serve sandwiches until 11," Pat said in answer to the most persistent question, "but we have eggs, sausage, bacon and home-baked cinnamon rolls." Jasmine took the bulk of the orders for the first hour, while Tiffany worked her way up to more activity. The cinnamon rolls proved to be a hit. Dolores made four big batches, and they still ran out by ten. The next hour was the closest they had to a lull. Pat came out and talked to Tiffany,and they kissed briefly.

The lady reviewer came in at 12:30. The restaurant was crowded, with a line of people back to the door. A skinny white waitress met her at the door. "You here for a cheesesteak sandwich?" the waitress asked.

"Yes, they say yours are the best," the reviewer said.

"Well, we're out of steak," the waitress said. "Would you like a burger instead? We're out of ground beef, too. How about our signature crab cakes? Well, we're out of crab. Or would you like a little ice cream? Too bad, we're out of ice cream. Oh, you aren't a reviewer, are you?"

"No," said the reviewer.

"Good. My boss says if another reviewer comes in, we're throwing him out on his fat ass, because the review we got yesterday could put us out of business," said the waitress.

"What review? The only review I saw said you were great."

"Exactly, and that was all over the net! Now we've got more customers than we can possibly handle, we've got almost half our people out foraging for enough food to get through the rest of the day, and god only knows how much that will cost! So, do you want to sit down, or wait in line?"

"I'll take a table."

"Well, we're out of seats, so get in line. Just as well, I've got too much on my plate as it is."

It was 1 before the reviewer got to the counter. A black man took her order. "What would you recommend?" she asked.

"Well, we got brauts, we got grilled cheese sandwiches," he said, "and we got some fine lasagna baking in the oven."

"I'll have a grilled cheese sandwich," the reviewer said. "Give me a coke, too."

"You bet, that will be six-fifty." The reviewer paid and found her way to a seat at an empty seat at a table where some other people were eating. A big, cheerful black lady served the three already there, and chatted with the reviewer.

"Oh, I'm a waitress from way back," the server said. "I was waitin' tables, oh, well, since before you were born. I'm outta retirement to help out here. Oh, and it looks like your order's up! I'll get it." She brought the sandwich over. "Say, what are you doing there?"

The reviewer stopped herself from hiding her tablet. "Oh, I'm a freelance writer," she said. "I like to work around town. I think this place has the right kind of atmosphere."

"Well, that's nice, but I'm afraid we can't have people hanging around just now," Jasmine said. "And please, don't go writing any reviews about how great we are. We've got more than we can handle as it is. Not to mention, you seem nice, and I'd hate for Patricio to have you banned from the restaurant." At that, the reviewer knew she knew.

But the reviewer was looking up at a newcomer she recognized as a "human interest" story writer for one of the big papers. The first waitress intercepted him as he pushed his way through the crowd, and was clearly doing her best to dissuade him from his purpose. But he made his way to the counter, and announced in his smarmy, obnoxious way that he was a reporter interested in an interview.

An old guy was already coming out from the back, and the reviewer was sure it had to be the owner. The woman trying to restrain him was presumably his wife. "You want an interview?" the man said, sounding ominously calm. The waitress was trying to make some kind of signal, pointing at the reporter's super smart phone. The old guy looked at the phone and smiled, and at that exact moment the waitress winced and covered her eyes. "You want an interview? How's this for an interview? I'll break that phone or whatever it is over your head, and then we can have an interview about what it was like to have the phone broken over your head!"

"Patricio!" the waitress exclaimed. "It has a _camera!_"

Patricio lunged forward, but fortunately, his wife was joined by the black guy, and he was held back while the waitress pushed the reporter out the door. At that point, the reviewer decided it was time to make her order to go.


	7. Clean-Up

It was almost midnight on Saturday evening, and the staff were still cleaning up. "It's not good, but it could have been worse," Von said. "Just hiring Jasmine was a significant jump in our overhead. Our midday resupply cost a lot. Ronnie had to clean out our wholesale supplier, and there wasn't time to negotiate a good deal. On top of that, everyone is eligible for overtime, and Ronnie and I have a gas receipt. Overall, today's cost overruns are equal to our net profit yesterday.

"Then there was the blowup at the reporter. He's a blowhard, and everybody knows it, but he's making a stink and he's not going to let it drop any time soon. He did get you on video, and that's bad enough. It's already gotten thousands of hits online, and it looks like it's going to be on the news tomorrow night. But he's threatening to make a formal complaint of assault, not just against you but against Tiffany. We already have had several calls from his paper, and I issued an apology, but I think the only way to smooth it over is to give him an interview."

Patricio just shrugged. "He came in asking me to talk when I was busy running my business," he said. "Are they going to blame me for giving him a piece of my mind? Matter of fact, I could have said a lot more, but we're supposed to be a family restaurant."

Pat and Tiffany were holding each other in the corner, and though much remained to be done, Dolores gave her blessing for them to depart. They went back to Tiffany's place, and promptly went to sleep in each other's arms on the little couch in her tiny apartment space. Pat woke up after a good seven hours, while Tiffany slept until noon. Rather than try to dislodge her from on top of him, he re-read a few books within easy reach. Then he heard a beep form his new cell phone, and discovered a text from Donnie. It was, in fact, a web link that led him to a post on a food review blog, by the lady reviewer who had discretely visited the restaurant the day before.

_I found the Silver Linings Restaurant in the midst of one of the best turnouts I have ever seen in a new restaurant, certainly the biggest for a restaurant of this size and clearly far more than the staff was or reasonably could have prepared for. My first impression was of staff who, while courteous, value honesty over style in presentation._ _I was met by a waitress, whom I subsequently determined to be one Tiffany Maxwell, who openly acknowledged that the restaurant was out of many items, including their celebrated cheesesteak sandwiches. I was also warned that, for the foreseeable future, reviewers are __not__ welcome, not because they are afraid y criticism but because of the praise they had already received brought more success than they can handle. I was told this with sufficient courtesy and self-evident sincerity that I was quite open to withholding any review I might write from publication. If Tiffany or any other staff of the restaurant find this review to be a breach of good faith, I sincerely ask for forgiveness._

_I ordered a simple item instead, a grilled cheese sandwich, and was served quickly and courteously by another charming waitress. I found the sandwich to be quite good, crisply grilled and subtly seasoned. I enjoyed the company of staff and patrons and the general atmosphere of the restaurant, and was quite prepared to finish my sandwich there. However, as I was taking my first bite, I had the displeasure to witness an event that is already lighting up discussion boards, the confrontation between owner Patrick "Patricio" Solitano, Sr and my colleague, Gerald Heart, a "human interest" journalist._

_I immediately recognized Mr. Heart,and anticipated trouble just as quickly, as he is well-known for being outwardly charming but especially aggressive if not invasive in pursuing his stories. Heart conducted himself in his usual style, pushing his way to the counter through a crowd of waiting customers and blithely asking for immediate attention from management. Mr. Solitano then emerged, over the protests of his family, and responded to Mr. Heart's request for an interview by stating rhetorically that he could break my colleague's phone over his head and give an interview about what it was like to have his phone broken over his head. I must emphasize that Mr. Solitano did not at any point approach Mr. Heart, much less move as if he intended to carry out any "threat" of violence. Before either party could make any further remarks, the waitress Tiffany took Mr. Heart by the arm, and he was escorted firmly but without protest out the door._

_In that moment, I made my final decision to write and publish the present review, simply to make sure that in the controversy I was already sure would follow, the public would have a wider perspective than my colleague's camera lens. While I cannot defend Mr. Solitano's behavior, I cannot deny that I felt far more sympathy for him than for my colleague. After witnessing Mr. Heart push patiently waiting customers aside to reach the counter, I was already personally mortified. The only true criticism I can offer against Mr. Solitano is that he should have simply ordered Mr. Heart to leave the restaurant or be reported to the police for interfering with his business, which he assuredly had the right and ample cause to do. Yet,I also cannot deny that Mr. Solitano's "outburst" was, if anything, a source of relief in an already tense situation. Considering the mood of the staff and of the customers at Mr. Heart's intrusion, I believe it is very possible that the sheer surprise caused by his remarks, and especially Ms. Maxwell's intervention, may have prevented far more serious repercussions._

_On the whole, my visit to the Silver Linings Restaurant was one of the most pleasant dining experience I can recall, marred only by the intrusion of my colleague. I would happily recommend this restaurant to anyone- with the sole caveat that it would not hurt to wait long enough for the restaurant to recuperate from its spectacular success._


	8. Looking Glass

On Monday morning, a handful of customers were waiting outside at opening time. So was a roving-reporter camera crew. Tiffany pressed herself to the corner on one side of the front window like a soldier under fire. "Oh my god, they're going to put me on TV, I can't do this... Jesus, Pat, how are you doing this?"

Pat was out in the open, whistling as he wiped down tables. "In Baltimore, there were always people watching us from behind the one-way glass," he said. "When I got upset, then they'd just get nosier. But if I just kept doing what I wanted to, usually, they'd just move on to check on someone else. So, I learned to keep my cool, and after a while, we started thinking of ways to have fun... Remember that stuff, Donnie?"

"Remember?" Donnie said from behind the counter. "I came up with most of it..." He demonstrated a vaudeville stair trick, in which he seemed to descend and then come back up a non-existent set of steps behind the counter. He came back up with his arm raised as if holding an invisble bottle, and proceeded to pantomime pouring and drinking and pouring again. Pat joined in, holding out his hand for Donnie to fill the nonexistent shot glass. Tiffany smiled, and then laughed, and finally came forward, just to block the view of her man's antics.

Patricio emerged from the kitchen. "There's reporters out there, aren't there?"

"Don't worry about them, Dad," Pat said. "Go back and help in the kitchen."

As opening time approached, so did the reporters. First, they talked to the prospective customers, and then positioned themselves at the back of the line. Aunt Jasmine came out, greeted a couple people she evidently recognized as previous customers, and then spoke to the reporters. After a moment, Jasmine rapped on the window and waved for Tiffany to come out. She turned away and started scrubbing a random table furiously. Then Pat came to her, leaned in to whisper something in her ear, and gently took the washcloth. Tiffany took a deep breath and went out to face the firing squad.

"Are you Tiffany Maxwell?" the reporter asked. Tiffany had some idea who he was. He did thoughtful human interest stories for one of the network news programs. He was just right for it, with a sad face and a kind voice. He was familiar to her because he had interviewed Tommy a few times about his work to prevent drunk driving among teenagers. For a moment, she felt anxiety rising, and with it grief. Then she thought of Donnie's trick.

"Can I plead the fifth?" she said with a smile. "Yeah, I'm Tiffany. I'm not sure how long I'll be a Maxwell, though." She waved a hand to give the camera a brief shot of her engagement ring. "My fiancee works here, actually... Yeah, he's Patricio's son."

"How does it feel running a business with your friends and family?" the reporter asked. "Do you think it's easier or harder?"

"Both, I think," Tiffany said. "When you really know each other, there's a lot of things you notice that you wouldn't otherwise. Sometimes,you can use it to help each other better, and especially to step in before something can get out of hand. Other times, it's just an extra distraction.. All in all, I guess it's better, because for better or worse, you understand each other."

Then the reporter asked a question that just seemed odd: "Are you or your family active in any community organizations?" She nodded, and started to talk about her dance/ depression support group, and obliquely mentioned something Pat went to. That was when the bombshell hit: "What about Teens For Responsible Driving?"

She managed not to freeze. That was what Tommy had started. The reporter said as much: "...We were very sorry to learn of Officer Wheeler's passing in the line of duty."

"That was his thing, not mine," Tiffany said. "But I know it is still going. A few other officers and quite a few of the kids are keeping it alive. They send me cards sometimes. Actually, the last one was congragulations on my engagement."

"You can add ours," said the reporter. "We wish you the best of luck with your engagement and your family business." He waved to stop the camera, but he lingered. "I remember you, Ms. Maxwell. We met when I filmed some footage of one of the group functions. We didn't use it at the time, but I had it included in a memorial segment. I can provide the recording, if you are interested. And I'm sorry if we have imposed."

"It... It's okay," Tiffany said. "And I'd like to see that tape."

By then, customers were already filing inside, though quite a few had lingered to watch and listen. As Tiffany turned around, she almost jumped to see Pat looking at her. He smiled and went back to work, and she did the same. But, as she took orders and went through rote pleasantries, her mind was somewhere else. She thought of all the time she had spent withdrawing and hiding and burying herself in her dancing and chasing guys. Then she had a vivid picture of herself huddling in the corner of a room lined with mirrors, hoping she was staying out of sight, when on the other side of the mirror a whole crowd was watching her.

It should have made her reel with anxiety, but in that moment, she didn't feel that way. She thought a little more about how often she would be in despair that she was invisible to everyone else, but lash out or withdraw when someone actually paid a little attention to her. The more she thought about it, the more it seemed to her that she thought nobody noticed her because she was in the habit of selling herself short, and that maybe when people did show an interest in her, it was because a lot of them really did care. And with those thoughts in mind, she turned away from the couple she had just taken an order from, walked up to Pat and kissed him right on the lips.


	9. The Return

**I let this go for a while to do other work (mainly in the "Hunger Games" fandom), and I have already been working toward winding this up. However, there's one thing left that I have been wanting to do since before I even thought of this particular story, and here it is...**

At the start of the second month, the rushes were past, but on most days, the Silver Linings Restaurant was still getting as many customers as they could seat. They had two new waitresses, but Jasmine was still working, and Tiffany was in every weekend, and clearly happy to be there. Patricio watched from behind the counter as his soon-to-be daughter-in-law smiled and laughed as she took an order from Von and Ronnie, by now among their regulars. He went back into the kitchen, and embraced his wife. "This place is a miracle, Dolores," he said. "No- it's one miracle after another. But one thing they don't tell you about miracles is, they're _exhausting_."

It was after lunch when the moment they had been putting off finally arrived. The reporter arrived, accompanied by a camera crew and a man with a bland face in bland clothes. Patricio stepped out from behind the counter, and put a fatherly arm around Tiffany, while the remnants of the lunch time crowd looked on.

"I'm Gerald Heart, and this is the Heart Beat," the reporter said. "Here we are at the Silver Linings Restaurant, scene of a confrontation last month between the restaurant owner and myself. We're here in hopes of burying the hatchet."

He turned to Patricio. "Mr. Solitano, the first thing I want to say is that I was out of line, and I am sorry," he said. "I extend my apologies not only to you and your staff, but to your customers." There was a smattering of applause from the customers, several of whom had witnessed the incident.

Patricio extended a hand, and shook. "I apologize for threatening to break your camera phone over your head," he said. "I lost my temper. People who know me know I do that a lot. I'm always working on it."

The reporter turned to the waitress. "I also wanted to talk to Ms. Tiffany Maxwell," he said. "Miss Maxwell, I think I can speak for both of us us when I say, thank you for stepping in. You were the one who kept a clear head, and I'm not going to deny, things could have been a lot worse without your good temper. Is there anything you would like to say?"

"Yes," Tiffany said, grinning broadly. "You're welcome. And hey Mom, I'm on TV." Then she moved out of frame and into Pat, Junior's arms.

"There is someone else who asked to meet with you," Heart said. The nondescript man who had accompanied him stepped into frame. "This is Charles Donner, better known as the Restaurant Renegade, credited with single-handedly making the Silver Linings Restaurant a smash success. Mr. Donner, are you worried that appearing on camera will damage your career as an undercover critic?"

"Not at all," he said, pointing at himself. "Nobody remembers this face."

Heart turned to Patricio. "Mr. Solitano, I understand that the attention Mr. Donner brought to your restaurant has been something of a mixed blessing," he said. "It's a common experience for new businesses to struggle with the demands of unexpected success. It's fair to say your business is among those that have managed to cope. So, do you have anything to say to Mr. Donner?"

Patricio looked at the Restaurant Renegade with narrowed eyes and furrowed brow. "I remember you. Your order cleaned out the last of our jalapenos," he said. He pointed a finger and said deadpan, "I kill you. Don't come back."

Customers stared, and Heart looked into his camera like a deer in the headlights. Then, without missing a beat, the critic smiled and said, "Thank you, sir. I'm sure I deserve it!"

That was when Tiffany burst out laughing, and the customers did the same.

"That's it," Patricio said as he returned to the kitchen. "We're here to stay."


End file.
